


Heroes Go With the Flow

by foldedchip



Category: Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon)
Genre: Adorabat uses She/They/He pronouns, Gen, Grammarly is my beta reader, I got my period right after writing this, I wanna support my trans pals, Mao Mao is a Dork, Menstruation, Nonbinary Adorabat, One Shot, Short, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Trans, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, We need trans representation, also, positivity, trans positivity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:54:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21827041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foldedchip/pseuds/foldedchip
Summary: Warning: contains 3 non-violent mentions of blood, theme of menstruation throughout.We've gotta normalize trans and non-binary periods, I'm sure that Sheriff Mao Mao would agree.
Relationships: Mao Mao & That Dang Time of the Month
Comments: 10
Kudos: 58





	Heroes Go With the Flow

**Author's Note:**

> I was reading this great BNHA fic and, whether you're in that fandom or not, the concept of superheroes carrying menstruation supplies on-hand is an idea that I can TOTALLY get behind. Forgot to bring pads somewhere? Boom! Batman's got some in his Utility Belt in case somebody's got an emergency.
> 
> I wrote this to both try to get rid of some embarrassment that I have about menstruating, and maybe helping somebody else.
> 
> I wanted to try to release at least a little bit of stigma around menstruation, and I wanted to subject myself to the vulnerability of sharing it with other people. As I’m writing this, I’m not ready to share it with anybody that I know in person. I have a long way to go, but this was a start. Fanfiction is a comfortable medium for me, and exploring this insecurity with Mao Mao felt less scary. I thought that it might have the opportunity to help somebody else if I posted it, so that’s why I did it.
> 
> You might be thinking “If you’re going to write a story about periods, why use a male character?” and for that, I can say “Because, while it’s uncommon, there are men who menstruate! Transgender people are rarely represented in media, and I figured that I would be fine to write about Mao Mao being trans. Maybe this will lessen any insecurity that a trans or non-binary person has about menstruation. I also figured that if anybody had an issue with me using a trans male character as a representative for menstruation, then they could just go and read something else. I’m proud to say that I would be happy to write about all kinds of people because they come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. I think that everybody deserves to be seen, and am working on being able to contribute to creating characters of all kinds so that everybody can have the chance to relate to a character that feels like them.
> 
> Mao Mao is strong and fierce, so I wanted to use him to represent menstruation. To associate it with strength. I really look up to Mao Mao and how he wakes up with confidence, despite his many insecurities. For him to wake up with my own insecurity and still be confident was so encouraging to me, and I hope that it is encouraging to others! That was my reasoning for writing a story about Mao Mao and menstruation. I wanted to attach this uncomfortable thing to someone comfortable and strong in his own skin. There are several points in the story where I’ve tried to make Mao Mao look fierce and powerful and to show that this was something that he goes through, too.
> 
> I feel a lot more confident after having written this. I also hope that, if you menstruate, you don’t feel any shame about your body. Even if you don’t menstruate, I hope that you feel good about yourself! Sheriff Mao Mao would probably agree that your body is beautiful and that you should not be ashamed about menstruation if you experience it. If you don’t menstruate, support your pals that do! It can be crummy, but just understanding why somebody might want you to pick up their products at the store for them, or be patient if they want to use the bathroom at home, can make things a lot easier.

Mao Mao woke up that morning in a pool of his own blood.

He ached to slumber through the next few days. It would be favorable to throbbing pain that wouldn’t leave no matter HOW many painkillers he swallowed.

But no. Adorabat needed him to wake them up and start her schooling. The king needed him to patrol the kingdom. Badgerclops needed him to clean his prosthetic arm.

So he braced himself for cold and rolled out of bed. Shivering, he pulled the bloody bedsheets off of the bed and padded toward the washing machine. He stuffed the bedding in and doused them with laundry sauce and started his dang day.

In the early morning, Sheriff’s HQ was in stasis. Not even the birds chirped, they shut their little beak traps until Mao Mao was up and ready, because he was just that menacing.

He walked through the stillness and opened the bathroom door. He turned on the shower and rubbed the last of the sleep from his eyes. 

Most cats don’t like water, but Mao Mao could appreciate a nice hot shower. He scrubbed the blood out of his fur and the pressure reduced the pain to a dull throb.

The cat rubbed himself down with a towel and licked off the last droplets clinging to his fur.

The weight of his cape around his shoulders always made him feel strong. He pulled it over his head and relished the sensation of the heavy fabric. After heating up a warm compress, he tucked it into his belt and stretched around to see that it would stay in place. He practiced a few scary faces in the mirror and smiled confidently to himself.

He was Mao Mao: Legendary Hero of Pure Heart. And he woke up in a pool of his own blood that morning.

**Author's Note:**

> A hero always takes care of themself! Remember to drink plenty of water and change your menstruation products every few hours if you are on your cycle.
> 
> Sheriff Mao Mao says so. 
> 
> Also, I am working on many other fics that I am excited to post soon!
> 
> And my birthday is tomorrow (December 17), so I'm excited about that, too!


End file.
